With the College Football Playoff bracket officially set, the focus now shifts to one of college football’s most coveted honors—the Heisman Trophy. Finalists for this prestigious award were announced on Monday night, highlighting four standout athletes: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Mendoza emerges as the frontrunner, bolstered by his impressive performance that helped lead the Hoosiers to victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game—a historic win, marking Indiana’s first conference title since 1967. This triumph capped off an undefeated 13-0 season and secured the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. In his first season with Indiana after transferring from Cal, Mendoza amassed 2,980 passing yards, throwing for 33 touchdowns while keeping his interceptions to just six.
Sayin had an exceptional season with the Buckeyes, guiding Ohio State past their rivals, Michigan, en route to the Big Ten title game. He boasted a remarkable completion rate of over 78%, the highest in the nation, while passing for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Under his leadership, Ohio State finished with a 12-1 record and secured the No. 2 slot in the playoff bracket.
Pavia’s season with Vanderbilt saw him lead the Commodores to an impressive 10-win campaign, despite the team missing out on a college football playoff bid. He recorded 3,192 passing yards along with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Commodores will now shift their focus to the ReliaQuest Bowl, where they will face Iowa.
Meanwhile, Love’s performance as a running back for the Fighting Irish was noteworthy. He rushed for 1,372 yards and scored 21 total touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.9 yards per carry. Notre Dame finished the season with a solid 10-2 record but was controversially omitted from the College Football Playoff. Notably, the university has chosen not to participate in a bowl game, voicing discontent with the selection process, particularly criticizing the ACC for their support of Miami’s playoff candidacy over Notre Dame.
The winner of the Heisman Trophy will be revealed during a ceremony at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night, broadcast on ABC. Last year, Colorado’s Travis Hunter made headlines by becoming the first non-quarterback to win the award since 2020.
As for the playoff action, both Mendoza and Sayin will enjoy first-round byes. Indiana is set to compete against either No. 8 Oklahoma or No. 9 Alabama on January 1, while Ohio State will face either No. 7 Texas A&M or No. 10 Miami in the quarterfinals on December 31. The stage is now set for an exciting conclusion to this college football season.
